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Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 17

यथा वृक्षेषु वल्लीषु कुसुमानि फलानि च । स्वकालं नातिवर्तंते तद्वत्कर्म पुराकृतम्

yathā vṛkṣeṣu vallīṣu kusumāni phalāni ca | svakālaṃ nātivartaṃte tadvatkarma purākṛtam

Wie Blüten und Früchte an Bäumen und Ranken ihre rechte Jahreszeit nicht überschreiten, so reift auch das einst getane Karma nur zu seiner eigenen Zeit.

यथाjust as
यथा:
Sambandha (Comparative marker/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootyathā (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; उपमानवाचक-सम्बन्धबोधक (indeclinable; comparative/illustrative particle: 'just as')
वृक्षेषुamong/on the trees
वृक्षेषु:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootvṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative); बहुवचन
वल्लीषुamong/on the creepers
वल्लीषु:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootvallī (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative); बहुवचन
कुसुमानिflowers
कुसुमानि:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootkusuma (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative); बहुवचन
फलानिfruits
फलानि:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootphala (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative); बहुवचन
and
:
Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (indeclinable; conjunction)
स्वकालम्their own time/season
स्वकालम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootsva-kāla (प्रातिपदिक; sva + kāla)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'स्वस्य कालः')
not
:
Sambandha (Negation marker/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निषेध-निपात (indeclinable; negation particle)
अतिवर्तन्तेpass beyond/overstep
अतिवर्तन्ते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootati-√vṛt (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present); प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person); बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; धातु: √वृत् (to turn/pass) उपसर्ग: अति-
तद्वत्likewise
तद्वत्:
Sambandha (Comparative marker/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottadvat (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; उपमानवाचक (indeclinable; 'likewise/so')
कर्मdeed, action (karma)
कर्म:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootkarman (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative); एकवचन
पुराformerly
पुरा:
Kala (Time adjunct/काल)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootpurā (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable; temporal adverb)
कृतम्done, performed
कृतम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Root√kṛ (धातु)
Formकृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थ (done)

Skanda (deduced: Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narration style)

Type: kshetra

Scene: A sacred grove by a tīrtha: trees and creepers bearing buds, blossoms, and ripe fruits in distinct seasons, while a contemplative pilgrim reflects on time-bound karma.

FAQs

Karma ripens by its own law and timing; patience and steady dharma are advised rather than anxiety or manipulation.

No particular location is named in this verse; it supports the tīrtha narrative by explaining how merit and demerit mature.

None; it conveys a principle through a natural metaphor.